Ranking the 2025 quarterback draft prospects in terms of their cost and fit with the Steelers

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Steelers need a quarterback.

Yes, they have Mason Rudolph. And Skylar Thompson. And maybe Aaron Rodgers. But we don’t yet know about Rodgers, and Rudolph and Thompson are an inadequate duo with whom to start a season.

Which brings us to the draft. There is speculation Pittsburgh will take a quarterback at some point. It could be in the first round; it could be in the seventh; it could be anywhere in between. On par with the theme at quarterback this off-season, no one seems to know.

If they do turn to the draft for help, they’ll have a host of players from which to choose. Many visited Pittsburgh in the pre-draft process, and the Steelers met with several others at their various Pro Days. It is said to be a thin draft for teams seeking immediate impact players at the position. But, there are several developmental prospects who, given time and the right landing spot, could become starters down the road.

Here, then, in ascending order, is my list of preferences should the Steelers draft a quarterback. This is not based on whom I consider the best quarterback in the draft, but rather whom I see as the best fit for the Steelers given the price they’d have to pay to select him.

6/5. Jaxson Dart (Mississippi); Tyler Shough (Louisville)

I put these two players in the same boat. They are both talented, they could both be NFL starters one day, but neither are worth the price tag it would cost the Steelers to select them.

Dart has a ton of ability, a huge arm, and a potentially bright NFL future. But he needs time to develop. Dart played in a simplified system at Old Miss that contained a lot of half-field reads and access throws. He’s going to need to learn the NFL game.

Shough, for all of his interesting traits (big arm, great off-platform ability, tremendous experience), is a gamble. For every Patrick Mahomes-like play Shough made in college, there seemed to be a corresponding one where he ran himself into a sack, or failed to read a defense properly, or threw a bad interception. His gunslinger mentality could put him at odds with the type of quarterback Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith desire. Plus, for all his experience, Shough had only one year of high-level production.

Dart and Shough both seem to be rising up NFL draft boards. Dart was considered a late-second or early-third round pick when the process started. Now, he’s unlikely to make it past the top 35 overall. Shough was initially projected as a late-third or even fourth-round pick. There’s talk he too could be a top-35 selection. Both could end up becoming solid pros, but there are too many question marks to justify spending a high pick on either.

4. Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)

I like Sanders as a prospect more than many. I’m not scared of his personality, nor his father’s presence, nor any of the outside noise that accompanies him. Mike Tomlin has done a fantastic job managing big personalities in the past. I don’t see Sanders as a challenge in that regard.

What I do see is a quarterback who is a tough, accurate, can play from the pocket, and is a good leader. Sanders is mobile, but more in a Mahomes-sense where he can extend plays, and less like Lamar Jackson for whom you’d design a bunch of runs. He doesn’t have a big arm, but he makes up for it with sound fundamentals. On the downside, he often holds the ball too long, and he takes too many sacks. Still, his mobility, accuracy, and ball-handling skills would make him a good fit for Smith’s offense.

What I don’t like is the price tag. Sanders isn’t getting out of the first round, and it would be surprising if he’s on the board when the Steelers draft at #21. That means Pittsburgh would have to go up to get him. They don’t have a second-round pick as is, and going up would certainly cost them #21 plus their pick in Round Three. That’s too steep. If Sanders were a slam-dunk prospect guaranteed to be the team’s starter for the next decade, it would be worth it. But he’s not, which means the team should seek a different option.

3. Jalen Milroe (Alabama)

Milroe may be the ultimate “price is right” quarterback in this draft. He’s accepted an invitation to attend the draft in person, which could mean one of two things: either he’s excited to take part in that process, no matter where he’s selected; or, he may have some intel suggesting he’s coming off the board on Day One.

If the latter is true, could the Steelers be in the mix? Let’s hope not. Granted, Milroe is an incredible physical talent. At 6’2-230, he looks more like a linebacker than a quarterback. His arm strength is tremendous, his running ability is Jackson-esque, and he’s said to be a great teammate and leader. There is plenty to like in Milroe.

But he’s a project. To paraphrase one of the coaches I spoke with at the NFL Combine in February, if you put on Milroe’s ten best plays, he’s a Top 10 pick in this draft. If you put on his ten worst plays, you might not draft him at all. What does that mean? There are too many variables to risk a high draft pick on him. Yes, the physical gifts are exciting. But can he read an NFL defense? Will he be able to play from the pocket? Is he accurate enough?

For those reasons, Milroe is a Round Three option, not Round One. If he’s available there, I’d be excited for the Steelers to take him. But my guess is he’ll be long-gone by then.

2. Kyle McCord (Syracuse)

McCord is a third or fourth round prospect with little chance of being over-drafted. That makes him a perfect target for the Steelers.

Why? Because to have a shot at many of the players previously mentioned here, they’d have to use their top pick, or a trade into Round Two, to get them. That would be a reach. The Steelers have too many needs elsewhere to reach for a quarterback.

Round Three is the sweet spot, where McCord should be available. McCord fits Pittsburgh’s profile. He’s big (6’3-220), gets the ball out quickly, is an accurate passer, and thrives in the pocket. He’s not particularly athletic, and he won’t make many plays with his legs. But he’s mobile enough to run some of the bootleg and play-action concepts Arthur Smith favors. McCord needs time to develop his progression skills and to diagnose NFL coverages. But if you draft him in the third round, you’re not asking him to be an immediate contributor.

McCord visited the Steelers in the pre-draft process, so Pittsburgh has interest. As a developmental quarterback with a chance to become a starter someday, the price tag seems fair.

1. Will Howard (Ohio State)

Everything I just said about McCord goes double for Will Howard. In addition to the following:

Howard, at 6’4-235, is bigger and stronger than McCord. He’s also further along in his development as a passer. Howard’s ability to exploit the middle of the field was a big factor in Ohio State’s run to the national championship, and demonstrated his pocket presence and accuracy. He’s also a tremendous leader whose teammates held him in the highest regard. Listening to Buckeye receiver Emeka Egbuka rave about Howard at the Combine told me all I needed to know about Howard’s ability to command a football team.

Like McCord, Howard is not an elite athlete, but he’s mobile enough to escape the pocket. Ohio State even used him on designed runs in the red zone at times. Howard would also benefit from time to sit and develop, particularly when it comes to speeding up his processing. But that time should be granted.

The Steelers are not likely to find their next franchise quarterback in this draft, so they shouldn’t try to force the issue by over-drafting one. All things considered, if Will Howard is on the board when they pick in Round Three, he would provide the best value for what they need from this draft at the quarterback position.

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